Ti Township tries longer

Ti Township has had several close calls at two turns. Sunday, he will attempt to master the trip in the $50,000 Red Earth at Remington Park. To be run at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, the race is restricted to 3-year-olds and up bred in Oklahoma.

Few horses come into the Red Earth as sharp as Ti Township, who has won five of his last seven starts. But all of those wins have come in turf sprints, his latest a 3 1/4-length allowance score at Lone Star Park on July 4.

Sunday, the horse will be stretching back out two turns, where he has compiled a handful of runner-up and third-place finishes from limited route starts. Chris Landeros, who rode Ti Township for the first time July 4, has the mount for trainer Allen Milligan.

"I think Chris fits him very well," Milligan said. "He let him relax down the backside in that race and he came running late. He sure exploded to get to them. If he can get him to relax a little bit the first part, he'll be fine."

Ti Township last raced on July 30, and after breaking next to last closed for third in a $16,000 starter allowance at about five furlongs on turf at Arlington.

"He was too far out of it," said Milligan. "It was a real slow pace and he was still getting to them. He had too much to do. The pace was just too slow for him."

Milligan trains Ti Township Coby Tresner, who claimed the horse for $20,000 in May.

Watchem Smokey, a 9-year-old stakes winner of more than $500,000, will run on turf for the second time in the Red Earth. The field also includes Strategic Leader and Marq French, who were one-two in this race a year ago.